PESHAWAR, Feb 11: Chief of the Cinema Owners Association Aftab Ahmad Sabir has announced demolition of his three cinema houses in the city to cooperate with the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal government in its campaign against obscenity.

A delegation of the cinema owners and managers, led by Aftab Ahmad Sabir, called on Senior Provincial Minister Sirajul Haq at his official residence on Sunday and assured the NWFP government of their full cooperation in the drive against obscenity.

During the meeting, Mr Aftab announced that he would demolish his three cinema houses, Shabistan, Aeena and Sabrina, and pledged to start a new business.

Later, Sirajul Haq and MNA Sabir Hussain Awan thanked the association for its cooperation, and pledged that the government would help provide opportunities for alternative businesses to the cinema owners.

Speaking at a press conference here on Sunday, the minister said that the MMA government was not against entertainment, but wanted to eliminate all the sources which fell in the criterion of obscenity.

He also asked the central government to initiate a movement against obscenity on the federal level.

He said that all those means of entertainment, which did not violate the Islamic law and norms, were fully allowed in the province.

“Obscenity is not part of the culture, but it has deshaped the social fabric of the society, which need overhauling,” Sirajul Haq opined.

The senior provincial minister said the government would establish a committee comprising officials and cinema owners, which would jointly work to eradicate obscenity from the society.